Vittadinia Australasica Var. Oricola (Coast New-Holland-Daisy) Vittadinia Australasica Var
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Listing Statement for Vittadinia australasica var. oricola (coast new-holland-daisy) Vittadinia australasica var. oricola coast new-holland-daisy T A S M A N I A N T H R E A T E N E D S P E C I E S L I S T I N G S T A T E M E N T Image by Richard Schahinger Scientific name: Vittadinia australasica var. oricola N.T.Burb., Brunonia 5: 44 (1982) Common name: coast new-holland-daisy (Wapstra et al. 2005) Group: Vascular plant, dicotyledon, family Asteraceae Status: Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 : endangered Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 : Not listed Distribution: Endemic: Not endemic to Tasmania Tasmanian NRM Regions: Cradle Coast Figure 1 . Distribution of Vittadinia australasica var. Plate 1. Vittadinia australasica var. oricola oricola in Tasmania (image by Richard Schahinger) 1 Threatened Species Section – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Listing Statement for Vittadinia australasica var. oricola (coast new-holland-daisy) IDENTIFICATION AND ECOLOGY combination of characters: marginal ribs of Vittadinia australasica var. oricola is a perennial fruit without hairs, leaves broadest above the sub-shrub in the Asteraceae (daisy) family, with middle. weakly ascending branches, spoon-shaped leaves and small mauve flowers (Plate 1). The Vittadinia australasica var. australasica occurs on species was presumed extinct in Tasmania until the southern mainland states but does not 2001 when a subpopulation was discovered on extend to Tasmania (Walsh 1999). It is near-coastal dunes in the State’s northwest characterised by the presence of glandular hairs (Gray & Rozefelds 2005). on the plant’s leaves and stems, resulting in an overall viscid appearance. The species favours disturbed ground, recruits from seed, and may also resprout from a perennating rootstock. The longevity of its soil- stored seed is unknown. Insects are the most likely pollination vector. The species is best identified during its flowering period, November to January. Description Vittadinia australasica var. oricola is a stout herb with a woody rootstock. Its stems are ascending to decumbent, 15 to 30 cm long. Younger stems have septate hairs interspersed with smaller glandular hairs, whereas the older stems are usually naked. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stems, are 1 to 4 cm long, Plate 2. Pressed specimen of Vittadinia australasica spoon-shaped, and have irregularly and widely- var. oricola from Temma showing branching pattern spaced toothed margins towards the acute apex. Both leaf surfaces have scattered strigose and DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT minute glandular hairs, and the margins are densely hairy. The flowers (capitula) are solitary On mainland Australia Vittadinia australasica var. on the ends of 2 to 5 cm stalks that arise from oricola occurs in Victoria, South Australia and the ends of the branches (Plate 2), and are Western Australia (Walsh 1999). In Tasmania it enclosed by 2 to 3 rows of bracts (phyllaries) is known from a single subpopulation to the that are 3 to 9 mm long. The outer parts of the south of Temma on the northwest coast (Gray flower (ray florets) are bluish to mauve in & Rozefelds 2005), representing the species’ colour. The dry fruit (achene) is 4 to 5 mm southernmost extent. It grows in near-coastal long, cigar-shaped but flattened, with facial ribs grassland or grassy shrubland on stabilised continuous from top to bottom, those at the calcareous dunes within a kilometre of the margins being hairless. The fruit has a ring of coast, at altitudes less than 30 m above sea barbed hairs 5 to 8 mm long at its apex level. (pappus) that aids in its dispersal. Within Tasmania Vittadinia australasica var. oricola has a linear range of about 450 m, an [description from Gray & Rozefelds 2005] extent of occurrence of about 0.02 km 2, and an area of occupancy of less than 1 ha (Table 1). Confusing Species The four other species of Vittadinia in Tasmania grow in the Midlands and southeast. Vittadinia australasica var. oricola may be distinguished from them by the following 2 Threatened Species Section – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Listing Statement for Vittadinia australasica var. oricola (coast new-holland-daisy) Table 1. Population summary for Vittadinia australasica var. oricola in Tasmania Subpopulation Tenure NRM 1:25 000 Year last Area of Number region mapsheet (first) seen occupancy of mature (ha) plants 1 Temma Arthur-Pieman Cradle Coast Temma 2009 < 0.1 c. 700 Conservation Area (2001) Co-occurring grassland species include Poa CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT rodwayi , Brachyscome diversifolia var. diversifolia , Vittadinia australasica var. oricola was listed as Craspedia sp., Acrotriche affinis , and the shrubs ‘presumed extinct’ on the original schedules of Acacia longifolia subsp . sophorae , Banksia marginata , the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act Leucopogon parviflorus and Beyeria lechenaultii var. 1995. Knowledge of its Tasmanian distribution latifolia. Associated threatened flora includes at that time was limited to a single 19 th century Euphrasia collina subsp. tetragona , Pterostylis collection held at the National Herbarium of cucullata subsp. cucullata and Scaevola albida. Victoria; the only locality information on the The species’ native grassland habitat near specimen sheet was the annotation ‘V.D.L.’, Temma is thought to represent the remains of a presumed to denote Van Diemens Land once more extensive community that occupied (Burbidge 1982, Gray & Rozefelds 2005). Its near-coastal dunes between the Pieman River listing was changed to endangered in 2002 and Woolnorth (Stockton 1982, Schahinger following the discovery of the subpopulation 2002). The grasslands have been impacted near Temma in 2001, qualifying under criteria through a combination of historic cattle grazing B, C and D: and over-firing leading to substantial dune B. Area of occupancy estimated to be less than destabilisation, followed by the planting of the 500 km 2, and estimates indicate: exotic marram grass ( Ammophila arenaria ). 1. Known to exist at no more than five locations. POPULATION ESTIMATE 2c. Continuing decline projected in area, Vittadinia australasica var. oricola occurs in a extent and/or quality of habitat. single subpopulation. Plant numbers may C. Population estimated to number less than fluctuate from year to year in response to 2,500 mature individuals and: poorly known climatic variables, with 150 to 200 plants recorded in 2001 (Schahinger 2002) 2b. Continuing decline projected in numbers and about 700 in 2004 (Schahinger 2005). of mature individuals in the form of ‘all individuals are in a single population’. A number of targeted surveys have been D. Population estimated to number less than undertaken for Vittadinia australasica var. oricola 250 mature individuals. and other species associated with the ‘northwest’ near-coastal grasslands in the region THREATS, LIMITING FACTORS AND between the Pieman River and Woolnorth MANAGEMENT ISSUES (Schahinger 2002, Schahinger 2005, RMCD The Vittadinia australasica var. oricola 2007). The likelihood of additional subpopulation at Temma is threatened by subpopulations being discovered is low. expanding dune blowouts, coastal scrub invasion, an inappropriate fire regime, climate RESERVATION STATUS change and stochastic events. Reserved in Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area. Dune blowouts: Small dune blowouts are present on the coastal side of the Temma subpopulation, with mobile sand threatening to envelop the species’ habitat (Schahinger 2008, 3 Threatened Species Section – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Listing Statement for Vittadinia australasica var. oricola (coast new-holland-daisy) pers. comm.). The most likely causes of the Management objectives blowouts are off-road vehicles and/or cattle, The main objective for the recovery of though digging by wombats has also been Vittadinia australasica var. oricola in Tasmania is suggested as a possible trigger (Gale 2006, pers. to maintain the viability of the only known comm.). Cattle are agisted in the Arthur-Pieman subpopulation, and to promote conditions for Conservation Area (APCA) from March to the species’ successful recruitment. September each year under formal leases, but off-road vehicles are not permitted in the area under the current permit system (PWS 2002). What is needed? Coastal scrub invasion and fire: Invasion by • provide information and extension support coastal scrub was identified by Schahinger to relevant Natural Resource Management (2002) as a potential threat to the species, with committees and government agencies on recommended burning prescriptions adopted in the locality, significance and management the fire management plan for the APCA (PWS of the known Vittadinia australasica var. 2003). Below average rainfall in subsequent oricola subpopulation and areas of potential years has seen a significant reduction in woody habitat; biomass within the species’ grassland habitat • initiate rehabilitation trials of dune and an increase in bare sand, while the more blowouts to the west of the known inland open scrub habitat was partially burnt as subpopulation, in line with the a result of arson in late 2004 (Schahinger 2005). recommendations of RMCD (2007); In consequence, scrub invasion no longer poses an immediate threat to the species, and indeed, • exclude cattle and off-road vehicles from any burns in the area run the risk of areas of key habitat; exacerbating the existing dune blowouts.